Stoppering devices



y 1958 A. SCHNEIDER 2,835,092

STOPPERING DEVICES Filed Aug. 8. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 42/" xv/egg May 20, 1958 A. E. SCHNEIDER STOPPERING DEVICES Filed Aug. 8, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q own/gay United States Patent STOPPERING DEVICES Arthur E. Schneider, Kankakee, Ill.

Application August 8, 1956, Serial No. 602,841

1 Claim. (Cl. 53-321) This invention relates to a device for stoppering openmouth containers, and more particularly to an apparatus for inserting, in flanged-lip bottles, stoppers of the type having an upwardly extending sleeve adapted to be folded into engagement with such flanged lip.

In the packaging of pharmaceuticals, it is sometimes desirable to eflfect closure of a bottle with a stopper forming a protective sleeve around the neck portion thereof, thereby maintaining the lip of the bottle in aseptic condition. From time to time devices have been provided for inserting stoppers of this type in bottles, but the devices of the prior art have been defective, principally, in tending to be erratic in continuous operation and in tearing or distending the stopper. Thus the closure of bottles with this type of stoppers is still a laborious manual operation.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a device for use in connection with stoppers of the character described which is simple in operation and which can can be adapted to large scale operations with efiiciency and without random destruction of the stoppers. Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

The construction and operation of this stoppering device can be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an over-all view of the stoppering device and the supporting structure thereof showing a bottle carrying a stopper in the operative position;

Figure 2 is a partial side view of the bottle, partly in cross-section, showing the stopper in open position;

Figure 3 is a partial side view of the bottle showing th stopper in closed position;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the bottle and stopper shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the stopper;

Figure 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the stoppering device shown in starting operative position in relation to a bottle carrying the stopper;

Figure 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the stoppering device shown in an intermediate stage of the operation in relation to a bottle carrying the stopper.

Figure 8 is a side cross-sectional view of the stoppering device shown at another intermediate stage of the operation in relation to a bottle carrying the stopper; and

Figure 9 is a side cross-sectional view of the stoppering device shown at the completion of the operation in relation to a bottle carrying the stopper.

These drawings portray a preferred embodiment of the apparatus in which stoppering device 11 is adjustably mounted on rod 12, in axial relation to container mounting plate 24, and in which the supporting structure for rod 12 and plate 24 includes operating table 14 having juxtaposed thereto loading table 16 (see Fig. 1).

Although any base may be provided for this stopstructure of the character described in the drawings. In

ice

the supporting structure shown stoppering device mount 12 is rigidly supported on loading table 14 which, in turn, is supported by legs 15. Operating table 14 may have attached thereto loading table 16 for carrying a supply of bottles to be stoppered. This loading table may be mounted on legs 18 having cross supports 19 and attached to operating table 14 by bolts 17 (see Fig. 1).

Stoppering device 11 is attached to bracket 13, adjustably mounted on rod 12, such that the height of the stoppering devicemay be altered to conform to the size of the bottle to be stoppered in the operation. The locking of the stoppering device in the adjusted position is obtained by set screw 20.

This stoppering device may be employed in connection with any open-mouth container, but it is especially useful in stoppering openmouth bottles of the type shown in the drawings in which bottle 21 includes neck portion 22 terminating in flanged lip 23 (see Figs. 1 to 4).

Bottle 21 has inserted therein stopper 39 consisting of neck insert portion 36 and upwardly extending sleeve 37 adapted to be folded into engagement with flanged lip 23 of the bottle. This stoppering device may be used to effect the closure of an open-mouth container with any stopper having an upwardly extending portion such as to be capable of forming a protective sleeve around neck portion 22 of such container, and to maintain in aseptic condition flanged lip 23 thereof. Stopper 39 may be provided with hollow 38 in neck insert portion 36 thereof for access to the interior of bottle 21 by a' hypodermic needle (not shown) in subsequent use.

Container mounting plate 24 is provided with lock 25 to maintain the container in rigid position during the stoppering operation. Plate 24 is attached to rod 26 which is slidably channeled through a perforation in table 14 such that bottle 21 can be elevated to engage operating device 11 by the action of a mechanical leverage system which includes bracket 29 attached to rod 26 and connected with horizontal linkinQ arm 30. Arm 30 is in turn pivotally connected to vertic al linking arm 31, which is spring-biased in a direction opposite from operating device 11 by spring 32. Spring 32 may be attached to cross-support 70 of legs 15 by an appropriate fastener. Arm 31 in turn is pivotally connected to pedal arm 27 by rivet 33. Pedal arm 27 terminates in foot pedal 28 adapted to be depressed by the foot of the operator and is pivotally connected to cross-support 34 of legs 15 by rivets 35 (see Fig. 1).

Stoppering device 11 consists of a series of telescoping axially disposed to container 21 and adapted to be sequentially inserted in sleeve 37 of stopper 39 by the elevation of plate 24. In this operation sleeve 37 is spread outwardly and folded into engagement with flanged lip 23 of such container (see Figs. 5 to 9).

The first of such series of cylinders is numbered. 51 in the drawings and is adapted to be inserted into sleeve 37 of stopper 39 and to telescope into hollow cylinder 52 in maintaining bottle 21 rigidly supported for the insertion of the other cylinders in such sleeve. Cylinder 51, which may be hollow or solid, is mounted on rod 54 terminating in spring stop 66 and is spring-biased in the direction of container 21 by spring 53 (see Fig. 7).

Hollow cylinder 52 is adapted to receive the telescoping cylinder 51, and, in turn, is adapted to be telescoped into cylinder 55. Cylinder 52, which is mounted on rod 68 and terminates in spring stop 67, is spring-biased in the direction of container 21 by spring 60. Cylinder 52 has attached to the inner surface thereof set-screw 56 adapted to engage spring stop 66 of cylinder 52 and to thereby maintain the position of cylinder 52 in relation to container 21 (see Fig. 8).

Hollow cylinder 55 is adapted to receive the telescoping cylinder 52 and is rigidly connected to bracket 13 by rivet 58 attached to rod portion 59 of such cylinder. The inner surface of cylinder 55 is provided with set screw 61 adapted to engage spring stop 67 of cylinder 55 to maintain the position of cylinder 52 in relation to bottle 21 (see Fig. 6).

Hollow cylinder 63 is adapted to be slidably received on the outer surface of cylinder 55 such that the downward movement of cylinder 63 efiects the engagement thereof with leading edge 71 of stopper sleeve 37. Cylinder 63 is spring-biased in a direction opposite from container 21 by spring 64 carried by right-angle edge 65 of cylinder 63.

The downward movement of cylinder 63 may be obtained by a manual or mechanical operation, and in the embodiment shown in the drawings this movement, is effected by a solenoid system (see Figs. 1 and 6).

In this solenoid system, cylinder 40 has slidably received therein piston 42 which is connected to cylinder 63 of stoppering device 11 by bracket 41. Cylinder 40 is connected to solenoid valve 44 by air hoses 45. Solenoid valve 44, which is supported by bracket 46, may be bled through line 49, and is connected to solenoid switch 47 by electrical line 48. Actuation of the solenoid system, and the downward movement of cylinder 63, is obtained by the operator exerting a depressing action on pedal 50.

Although the operation of this apparatus may be obtained either manually or mechanically, the embodiment shown in the drawings is adapted to be manually loaded, and the actuation of the stoppering device is provided by a foot pedal operation.

A supply of bottles 21 carrying stoppers 39 can be maintained on loading table 16 to be manually removed by the operator and mounted on plate 24. If desired, a supply of stoppers can be maintained in cup 69 mounted on cross-support 70 of legs 15.

After container 21 has been secured on plate 24 by lock 25, the operator depresses pedal 28 to elevate bottle 21 into engagement with operating device 11.

The engagement of stopper 39 by operating device 11, and .the closure of bottle 21, is obtained in a two-step operation. However, for purposes of this invention, the operation may be described in its several stages.

The elevation of bottle 21 first results in .the engagement of stopper sleeve 37 with cylinder 51, and such cylinder is inserted in the sleeve to be contacted with base portion 72 thereof. This preliminary stage of the operation results in the stabilization of container 21 providing rigid support for the subsequent action of the stoppering device (see Fig. 6).

The further elevation of bottle 21 causes cylinder 51 to be telescoped in hollow cylinder 52 such that cylinder 52 engages stopper sleeve 37. The insertion of cylinder 52 in stopper sleeve 37 results in the spreading of leading edge 71 of such .sleeve (see Fig. 7). Cylinder 52, in turn, is telescoped in hollow cylinder 55 by the further elevation of bottle 21, and the consequent in- 'sertion of cylinder 55 in stopper sleeve 37 results in the outward spreading of leading edge 71 such that it overlaps flanged lip 23 of container 21; that is, the successive insertion of cylinders 51, 52 and 55 in stopper sleeve 37 results in the gradual outward spreading of the sides of such sleeve in a reproducible operation without tending to tear the stopper (see Fig. 8).

When pedal 28 has been depressed by the operator and maintained in the depressed position, such that cylinder 55 has been engaged with stopper sleeve 37 and leading edge 71 overlaps flanged lip 23, the depression of solenoid pedal by the operator actuates the solenoid system causing hollow cylinder 63 to move downwardly over cylinder and to engage leading edge 71 of stopper sleeve 37 (see Fig. 9). The downward movement of cylinder 63 and the engagement thereof with stopper sleeve 37 forces leading edge 71 to be folded into engagement with flanged lip 23, thereby providing a protective sleeve for neck 22 of bottle 21.

The release of solenoid pedal 50 and pedal 28 by the operator results in the return of container 21 to the original position. The closed container can then be removed from plate 24 by the operator, and the operation repeated by loading on such plate another container from loading table 16.

While in the foregoing specification various embodiments of this invention have been set forth and specific details thereof elaborated for the purpose of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention is susceptible to other embodiments and that many of these details may be varied widely without departing from the basic concept and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

A device for stoppering an open-mouth, flanged-lip container having inserted therein a stopper with an upwardly extending sleeve adapted to be folded into engagement with the flanged lip of such container, comprising a cylinder axially disposed to said container and adapted to be inserted in said sleeve, a first hollow cylinder slidably received on the first-mentioned cylinder and into which said first-mentioned cylinder is adapted to be telescoped, said cylinders being spring-biased in the direction of said container, a second hollow cylinder slidably received on said first hollow cylinder and fixed in relation to said container, means for moving said container to obtain the insertion of said first-mentioned cylinder into said sleeve, and for further moving said container to obtain the insertion of said first and second hollow cylinders into said sleeve and to telescope at least said first-mentioned cylinder into said first hollow cylinder, whereby said sleeve is spread outwardly at least to the edge of said flanged lip, another hollow cylinder slidably received on the second of said hollow cylinders and spring-biased in the opposite direction from said container, and means for moving the last-mentioned hollow cylinder into contact with said sleeve to fold it into engagement with said flanged lip. 

